News &amp; Features - March 2012

0320 NWS GirlScouts2-jb.jpg Laura Morgan, girl scout leader, shows her troop some of the old girl scout books. The girl scout program books have changed over the years and the books now are much more colorful and easy to understand.
Photo by Jessica Benes

031812_starwars-5-MN.jpg This is one among hundreds of Star Wars scenes and characteris built from Legos that were on display Sunday at the Rialto Theater before a showing of "Return of the Jedi." Volunteers with the Colorado/Wyoming LEGO Users' Group built the tiny models, inspired by George Lucas' Star Wars movies. (Photo by Madeline Novey)

031812_starwars_4-MN.jpg Noah Kline, 13, stands Sunday outside Loveland's Rialto Theater with Rob Webb of Brighton, a Star Wars stormtrooper . Webb is among dozens of members of the 501st Legion, a group of people from Colorado and surrounding states that don Star Wars costumes and make appearances at benefits and other events. (Photo by Madeline Novey)

031812_starwars-3-MN.jpg Kim Richmond, 24, of Denver stands in the Rialto Theater's Green Room prior to meeting an eager audience before Sunday's showing of "Return of the Jedi." She and three others were dressed as jawas, short rodent-like creatures, from the Star Wars series. (Photo by Madeline Novey)

031812_starwars_MAIN-2-MN.jpg Rylan Abbott, 3, of Loveland examines one of two R2-D2 replicas set up at the Rialto Theater before Sunday's showing of "Return of the Jedi." (Photos by Madeline Novey)

031812_starwars_MAIN-1-MN.jpg Rylan Abbott, 3, of Loveland examines a "talking" R2-D2 replica set up at the Rialto Theater before Sunday's showing of "Return of the Jedi." He and his brother, Ian Abbott, 4, are Star Wars fanatics, their mother, Tara Hallahan said. (Photos by Madeline Novey)

031812_fishing-MN.jpg Landon Peppel and Melissa Brashers of Castle Rock fish Sunday afternoon from the bridge off of Eisenhower Boulevard on Lake Loveland's southern shore. The couple Saturday caught between 20-25 perch, Peppel said, enough to make a meal. Once the weather warms up this spring, the duo will be out fishing every weekend. In the meantime, Peppel said, "It's nice to get wind and colder weather to keep the people away." (Photo by Madeline Novey)

Kennedy Rhodes, 6, front, tries her hand at the Lucky Clovers II 4-H Club's Pot of Gold game with help from Jo Buckley, 15, during the 4-H Carnival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Malorie Acott, 10, reaches up to pluck "gold coins" off from a rainbow with the assistance of Fallon Stockley, 11, right, while playing the Lucky Clovers II 4-H Club's Pot of Gold game during the 4-H Carnival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Jacob Hergenreter, 9, grasps at flying bills as they swirl around him in the Friendly Few 4-H Club's Money Machine game during the 4-H Carnival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Dalton Williams, 10, front right, takes a swing with the sledge hammer at the North Forty 4-H Club's Bell Ringer game to try and win a prize during the 4-H Canival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Daiton Crego, 5, helps out at the Buckeye Buccaneers 4-H Club's Bottle Ballistics booth during the 4-H Carnival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Loveland resident Emma Lines, 4, middle, rolls a golf ball through a bed of nails while playing the Plinko game at the Hearts and Hands 4-H Club's booth during the 4-H Carnival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Eight-year-old Landon Carlson, middle, shoots a ball at the Sagebrush Riders 4-H Club's basketball game during the 4-H Carnival on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Asher Ricciardi, 8, left, runs the Rocky Ridge 4-H Club's Wheel of Fortune game as youngsters spin the wheel to win prizes during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday at The Ranch.

Jessica Conley, 15, right, winces as a wet sponge flies toward her thrown by Jacob Masters, 8, left, at the Timnath Goal Diggers 4-H Club's Sponge Toss booth during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Jessica Conley, 15, right, braces for the impact of a wet sponge thrown by Elise LeVasseur, 6, left, at the Timnath Goal Diggers 4-H Club's Sponge Toss booth during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Ten-year-old Aaric Horve, middle, rides a mechanical bull powered by Rian James, 14, at the Owl Canyon Vaqueros 4-H Club's Bucking Barrell booth during the 4-H Carnival and Craft Show on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at The Ranch.

Danny Ortiz, left, and Laura Scheib, the first graduates of the Larimer County DUI court, congratulate each other Friday at the Larimer County Justice Center in Fort Collins. Lucas Scheib, 7, sits on his mother's lap. The court, which started in July 2010, is designed to rehabilitate high-risk, high-need repeat DUI offenders. No participants have dropped out or been discharged due to noncompliance since the court started. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Loveland-based cinematographer Danny Dodge holds a camera stabilizing device he invented called The Shaft on Friday in his workshop. Dodge is starting a fund-raising effort on kickstarter.com to help get the product to market.

Colorado State University basketball fans hope for a win as they watch the game Thursday at the Sports Station in downtown Loveland. From left they are CSU alumni Chris Marusic, CSU alumni and college roommates Jeff Johnson and Dave Brunning, and Scotty Faggans. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Josephine Fossett gets her hair done by cosmetologist Julie Acres Wednesday afternoon at the Good Samaritan Village in Loveland before a special dinner and receiving a 50-year service pin from the women's auxiliary of VFW Loveland Post 41. Photo by Jenny Sparks

A badge on the back of a 2012 Nissan Leaf SV parked in downtown Loveland on Wednesday afternoon during the Green Car Convoy identifies it as a zero emission all-electric vehicle.

Land Rover Flatirons employee Fallon Price sits behind the steering wheel of a 2012 Range Rover Evoque as she explains its features to Nicholas Wacker, left, and Jake Howard during a stop in downtown Loveland on Wednesday of the Green Car Convoy.

Tynan's Nissan internet director Jake Howard shows where the plug-in is located on a Nissan Leaf SV electric car as he explains its features during a stop in downtown Loveland for a Green Car Convoy.

Construction crews work to prepare for the upcoming demolition of the Cloverleaf Kennel Club Wednesday in Loveland. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Ian Vap of Loveland, 18, catches some air while skateboarding at the Loveland Sports Park Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Looking west from this pond at the Big Thompson Ponds State Wildlife Area Tuesday is property Loveland is hoping to acquire for designation as open space. Loveland is one of 17 city governments waiting to hear if it will receive grant funding in June from Great Outdoors Colorado. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Doris Brown, right, shares a laugh with, back from left, Donna Pelton, cousin Tina Allen and Corry McDowell during a birthday party celebrating Doris' 100th birthday on Tuesday at her Loveland home.

Science teacher Jacque Rideout poses for a photo Monday with beakers and a volumetric flask in her classroom. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Bill Reed Middle School eighth-graders Cooper Powers, 14, left, and Ethan Marolf, 13, right, look up at their teacher Monday during a lesson in science class at the school in Loveland. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Loveland High School junior Cort Roberts, 17, right, and senior Ian Collett, 17, play French horns during wind symphony class Thursday in the school's auditorium.

Andrew Iwanicki of Loveland, 10, keeps his eye on the ball thrown by his dad Bob Iwanicki Monday at Centennial Park in Loveland. Taking advantage of warm weather and spring break from school, Andrew, who plays on the Loveland Baseball Association's Cyclones team, and his dad decided it was a good day to get some practice on the field. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Youngsters check out a replica of the Star Wars character R2-D2 during the grand reopening of the Loveland Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012.

Loveland High School assistant principal Marc Heiser, front, has his head shaved by stylist Bethany McAllister at the Thompson School District administration building during a St. Baldrick's event Saturday to raise awareness and money to fund research for cures for cancer.

Loveland resident Ronald Stoddard, executive director of Nightlight Christian Adoptions, poses surrounded by photos of babies born through the Snowflakes Frozen Embryo Adoption and donation program that he created. Photo by Jenny Sparks

0310 NWS ArtStudios-js.jpg Matt Thoen with ACE Acoustics shares a laugh with a co-worker while installing ceiling tiles Friday in a vacated building behind Aims Community College that used to house classrooms. The building is being renovated into 17 studio work spaces as part of the ArtWorks Loveland, Inc. project, supported by the Erion Foundation. ArtWorks Loveland is inviting artists to rent 15 of the studios for a year at a time as a way to enhance their careers through collaboration, coursework and events. The other two will be "art-in-residence" spaces for two artists to work rent-free for 10 weeks at a time. Photo by Jenny Sparks

Fort Collins resident Wes Terry uses a power washer to clean part of a bottle moving assembly on Tuesday afternoon at Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 3920 Patton Ave. near the Walmart Distribution Center in Loveland.

Roland Demers, co-owner of the new Suede event center in south Loveland, demonstrates on the DJ equipment Feb. 27, 2012. (Photo by Craig Young)

Roland Demers and Cassandra Breen, co-owners of the new Suede event center at 418 SE Eighth St., Unit B2, in south Loveland, pose in front of the garage door that was turned into a tribute to a number of cultural icons.

McKee Medical Center Foundation executive director Julie Johnson Haffner, left, presents Wayne Williamson with the McKee Community Health Award during the McKee Thanks luncheon on Thursday, March 8, 2012. Williamson is a physician's assistant and site medical director at the Loveland Community Health Center.

Tim Ward, a resident of the Sylmar Park community, stands in his backyard near a fence separating his home from a proposed Kum & Go gas and convenience store project that would be one of the region's largest. Residents on Monday will seek a Planning Commission ruling that would permit a 12-foot wall separating the community and the new developement. Photo by Jenny Sparks